SB Title

 

March 2016 Issue
NPSD Board Members
Meetings in Review
Upcoming Meetings

March 29, 6:00 p.m.
Support Services Committee Meeting

March 29, 6:30 p.m.
Finance Committee Meeting

April 11, 6:30 p.m.

ECP Committee Meeting

April 12, 7:30 p.m.
School Board Worksession Meeting

April 21, 7:30 p.m.
School Board Action Meeting

May 9, 5:45 p.m.
Safe Schools Committee Meeting


 

 

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 President's Letter to the Community                     
SherpinskyNPSB
Dear Community,
 
With the Montgomery Elementary renovation project scheduled to begin this June, our current students and staff at Montgomery are spending the final months of the school year as the last group to experience the building as it stands today.

As we approach yet another renovation project in the North Penn School District, we are reflective of all of the changes that our district has undergone over its last 50 years. Some of our schools such as J. Henry Specht Elementary have been lost, while others like Hancock Elementary School have been repurposed to what is now known as the Educational Services Center administrative building.

In celebration of the district's 50th Anniversary and the changes that have taken place over the last half-century, community members are invited to  travel through time and the streets of the North Penn area on the North Penn School District's first-ever Bus to the Past event, on Friday, April 22.

NPSD's Bus to the Past will take participants on a journey highlighting these last 50 years. The bus route will include driving past all current schools and former NPSD schools closed years ago. There will be one stop at the current North Penn High School for a student performance and light refreshments.

The day begins at 9:30 a.m. at Penndale Middle School where participants will take their seat on the school bus. The day is scheduled to end around noon at the same location where participants are asked to park.  

A highlight of the Bus to the Past will be the tour guides on hand to share their stories and experiences in North Penn schools and the community.  Retired NPHS principal Burt Hynes, retired Manager of Support Services John Strobel, retired Principal Al Koehler and 50-year bus driver Jim Allebach will act as the vocal backdrop to the bus ride. 

Bus to the Past is one of several events NPSD has planned in honor of its 50th Anniversary. Reservations are required and can be done online here or by calling 215-853-1032.

I encourage our community to take advantage of this tour of our district and community's history.

 

Sincerely,
 
Vincent Sherpinsky
President
NPSD Board of School Directors
 
Education/Community/Policy (ECP) Committee Report

The ECP Committee met on March 14, 2016.

There were several topics on the agenda that evening. Each year the Board must approve a list of Act 80 Days which are teacher in-service days that can be counted as student days, in accordance with School Code, due to days lost as a result of weather or other emergencies. That list of days was presented and will be included on the April Action agenda.

Another item that was discussed concerned the changes affecting Keystone exams and graduation requirements as a result of Senate Bill 880 that was signed into law in February 2016. The impact of this change will delay the requirement that students be proficient on the Keystone exams until the class of 2019. These changes will be reflected in the Program of Studies for both the middle school and the high school.

At the meeting, there was further discussion regarding the proposed boundary realignments that would affect the attendance areas of Nash, Walton Farm, Inglewood and Gwynedd Square. The proposal has been modified as a result of discussions between parents and administrators. Rather than redrawing the boundary lines in this area, a capping model has been proposed. This would result in incoming Kindergarten and first grade students being assigned to a designated school only after a target enrollment for the respective grade has been reached.

The full plan will be presented at the next Board Worksession meeting. Approximately 35 community members attended the meeting and offered comments and suggestions regarding the capping proposal. Chairperson Suzan Leonard agreed with many in the audience who spoke that there is the need for longer range planning, and that these discussions should be taking place now.

Information about a proposal that would gradually integrate more interactive technology and devices for all students to increase student engagement and learning was presented to the committee. Further details about this proposal will be presented at an upcoming Community Forum.

 
The next ECP Committee meeting will be held on April 11th at 6:30 p.m. at the Educational Services Center. 

Finance Committee Report
The Finance Committee met on February 29, 2016.
The monthly financial reports were reviewed with additional discussion on the following items.

 

Tax Collector Audits

The Upper Gwynedd and Towamencin Township audits were reviewed. Two tax collectors are selected each year for audit. No issues were found and all receipts were verified.

 

North Montco Technical Career Center Roofing Project

Steve Skrocki reviewed the history of the proposed project as well as North Penn's expected financial contribution. The apparent low bidder submitted a price of $978,390. A portion of the funding, $500,000, will come from the North Montco capital reserve fund and the remaining portion will be prorated based on each sending district's market value. This item was moved to the March worksession for further discussion regarding concerns about the authorization resolution.

 

Digital Technology Initiative  

Dr. Kristen Landis reviewed the proposed 1:1 initiative as well as the required infrastructure and overall financial impact. Also discussed was the lease to own option and potential user fee. Development of a parent focus group and community forum was discussed in order to solicit more information and feedback on the initiative from parents.

 

2016-2017 Preliminary Budget and State Budget Update  

Steve Skrocki discussed the budget timeline and budget meetings with district administrators. Steve Skrocki also reviewed the status of the 2015-16 state budget and the proposed 2016-17 state budget.

 

Fiscal Comparisons 

Steve Skrocki reviewed the district auditor's comparative financial report for local school districts.

 

Petty Cash 

Steve Skrocki discussed the elimination of petty cash reimbursements at the end of the school year.

 
 
The next Finance Committee meeting will be held on March 29th at 6:30 p.m. at the Educational Services Center. 

Support Services Committee Report
The Support Services Committee met on February 29, 2016 and discussed the following.
 
Upper Gwynedd Township provided a presentation to the committee to provide an update and current status of the storm water basin design. The Township plans to commence construction this summer after all required approvals are received from all parties.
 
The second presentation was provided by the North Penn Baseball Coach, Kevin Manero, discussing a request to raise money to construct baseball dugouts and potentially grandstands at North Penn High School. The committee was appreciative of the presentation and requested that Kevin Manero present to the full Board at a work session for their input.
 
The Committee was presented a project change order for the Inglewood Elementary Renovations and Addition project site work contractor, Out of Site, Inc. for replacement of unsuitable subsurface soil at both the East and West entrances.
 
The Committee was presented a deduct change order for the Hatfield Elementary Renovations and Addition project electrical contractor, ETI, Inc. for changes during construction and unused allowances.
 
The Committee was provided a bid schedule update on the Montgomery Elementary Renovations and Addition project. This project is scheduled to commence construction at the end of this school year and be completed in Fall of 2017.
 
The Committee was provided a bid schedule update on the Artificial Turf Replacement project. Bids are scheduled to be publicly opened on April 5th at 2:00 PM at the Support Services Center. The project is scheduled to commence after the Spring sports season is over and be completed by August 2016.
 
A list of capital projects were discussed. The projects are planned to be completed this summer.

 
The next Support Services Committee meeting will be held on March 29, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. at the Educational Services Center.
Safe Schools Committee Report
The Safe Schools Committee met on March 14, 2016 and discussed the following.
 
Ray Wilson updated the Safe Schools Committee on recent safe schools activities that are ongoing and being planned for the spring. Ray has been providing elementary schools with an Internet Safety program that is informative to students about internet and social media safety measures. This program is well received and is ongoing. Spring activities include the planning of intruder drills and weather drills for the schools.
 
The Safe Schools Committee was given an update of security upgrades to North Penn High School and the Educational Services Center. This project will be going out to bid for a scheduled award in April. The work is scheduled to commence after the 2015-2016 school year and be completed prior to the start of the 2016-2017 school year.
 
Future surveillance camera upgrades were discussed and the topic will be part of larger district initiatives and will be discussed at future meetings.
 
The next Safe Schools Committee meeting will be held on May 9, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. at the Educational Services Center.
North Penn School District Educational Foundation Report
The North Penn School District Educational Foundation met on March 2, 2016 when several items of importance were discussed. 
 
Since the month of February served as the second annual "Foundation February," the efforts of this event were discussed. Twelve schools in the district celebrated the Foundation throughout the month sharing information about the organization and raising money for their cause. Through the hard work of volunteer staff members, close to $5,000 has been raised.
 
The Foundation's annual online auction is up next. Its theme this year is "Oh the Places you May Go," and it will be held from April 25 through May 1st. The Foundation is asking local businesses, restaurants, museums, spas and more to donate their services and products for this popular event. In addition, the Foundation's online auction will once again offer North Penn Unique Experiences like a birthday party in the planetarium, a limo ride and lunch with a principal, the best seats at graduation and more.
 
It was reported that the Foundation's request to add Course Advancement to its Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program projects was approved by the state. The Foundation will now support NPSD low-income students pursue Course Advancement studies.
 
This week the Foundation also opened it grant request window and is accepting proposals for the 2016-2017 school year. All NPSD staff are encouraged to consider what the Foundation may be able to support for them.
 
If you have any questions about the Foundation, you can contact Christine Liberaski at the ESC.

The next NPSD Educational Foundation meeting will be held on April 6, 2016 at 7:30 a.m. at the Educational Services Center. One item up for discussion at this time will be hosting a concert and speaker series as a fundraising source.